Baz: Editors and publishers seek talks
In the turbulence surrounding the consultancy mandate of Christoph Blocher's company Robinvest for Basler Zeitung Medien, the editors and publishers are seeking a dialog. In the Basler Zeitung Baz on Wednesday, editor-in-chief Markus Somm commented on the accusations of the last few days.
Wagner now wants to respond to Tuesday's editorial demand for a withdrawal of the advisory mandate to Blocher's Robinvest. To this end, the editorial committee of the Baz editorial team and Baz publisher Martin Wagner have arranged a meeting for next Friday, said a spokesperson for the editorial committee at the request of SDA.
The mandate awarded to Christoph Blocher's Robinvest is essentially about securing the profitability of the Basler Zeitung Medien group, Somm wrote in Wednesday's Baz newspaper. There was "never any talk of a journalistic consultancy mandate and never will be". It is no secret that he knows Blocher well and agrees with him on some political issues. However, the point was that the Group had problems and understandably sought external help. The advisor was Blocher, as he had been familiar to the owners for a long time: where should the scandal be? However, he understands that a region like Basel, which - rightly - considers itself to be cosmopolitan and liberal, is uneasy about what is happening at BaZ, as Somm explained. But people are worried for the wrong reason: Blocher has never had any influence on the content of the Baz. The 'Basler Zeitung' is and will remain independent of any politician or party.
In conclusion, Somm says: "If good and critical journalists, such as those working at the Baz, question him and worry about the future of the newspaper, that speaks for the editorial team.
The editorial meeting had already agreed to talks on Tuesday
Signalized. It considers the relationship of trust with Somm to have been damaged, but will seek talks with him, it said. The main reason for the breakdown in trust is that Somm, unlike the editorial team, does not see the Blocher mandate as an image problem for the BaZ, said a spokesperson.
The mandate awarded to Christoph Blocher's Robinvest is essentially about securing the profitability of the Basler Zeitung Medien group, Somm wrote in Wednesday's Baz newspaper. There was "never any talk of a journalistic consultancy mandate and never will be". It is no secret that he knows Blocher well and agrees with him on some political issues. However, the point was that the Group had problems and understandably sought external help. The advisor was Blocher, as he had been familiar to the owners for a long time: where should the scandal be? However, he understands that a region like Basel, which - rightly - considers itself to be cosmopolitan and liberal, is uneasy about what is happening at BaZ, as Somm explained. But people are worried for the wrong reason: Blocher has never had any influence on the content of the Baz. The 'Basler Zeitung' is and will remain independent of any politician or party.
In conclusion, Somm says: "If good and critical journalists, such as those working at the Baz, question him and worry about the future of the newspaper, that speaks for the editorial team.
The editorial meeting had already agreed to talks on Tuesday
Signalized. It considers the relationship of trust with Somm to have been damaged, but will seek talks with him, it said. The main reason for the breakdown in trust is that Somm, unlike the editorial team, does not see the Blocher mandate as an image problem for the BaZ, said a spokesperson.
